Sgt Smith was killed in action while on temporary duty with the 98th Bomb Group for "Operation Tidal Wave " one of the most daring raids of WW2. Coming in at tree top level the crew of Captain James Gunn destroy the Rumanian oil refineries. The 389th earns Presidential Unit Citation, all of the crews receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, The 389th BG loses six aircraft on this mission.
Radio Operator T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith DFC KIA
Hometown Hawthorn NJ
Squadron: 389th Bomb Group TDY 98th BG
Service# 32450700
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart
Pilot Capt.James A.Gunn III
Target;Low level mission to destroy Rumanian Oil Fields August 1 1943. Ploesti.
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 41-11840
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:P
Squadron: Aircraft
Aircraft Name: Snow White
Location: Missing Downed NE of Skopje at Brod today Macedonia 8KIA 1POW
Briefed to fly in the 3rd wave attacking White IV at Ploesti, from Berka II at Libya with 98th BG.
Captain Gunn Dropped to aid "THE WITCH" of Lt. Darlington during the withdrawal from Ploesti. He was intercepted by Bulgarian ME-109 at 13:40 hrs. Claimed shot down by Lt Peter Bochev. Took fire on the fuselage and crashed in the mountainous area NE of Skopje at Brod ( today Macedonia).Only the SSgt S.Horine who was badly burned managed to bail out. On 3rd of August 1943 a SAR mission was sent from Libya to search for Capt.Gunn . The aircraft performed SAR patterns over the estimated crash site at 500 feet returning with no results to Libya.
The crews remains were located and reinterred to the US (Arlington National Cemetery) thanks to Lt. Quigley , the Bombardier from Lt.Darlington's ship for whom Jim Gunn and his crew gave their lives.
Sgt Smiths New York Memorial is a cenotaph.
contributed by John Dowdy #47791572
See actual burial: Arlington Cemetery #98783717
Radio Operator T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith DFC KIA
Hometown Hawthorn NJ
Squadron: 389th Bomb Group TDY 98th BG
Service# 32450700
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart
Pilot Capt.James A.Gunn III
Target;Low level mission to destroy Rumanian Oil Fields August 1 1943. Ploesti.
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 41-11840
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:P
Squadron: Aircraft
Aircraft Name: Snow White
Location: Missing Downed NE of Skopje at Brod today Macedonia 8KIA 1POW
Briefed to fly in the 3rd wave attacking White IV at Ploesti, from Berka II at Libya with 98th BG.
Captain Gunn Dropped to aid "THE WITCH" of Lt. Darlington during the withdrawal from Ploesti. He was intercepted by Bulgarian ME-109 at 13:40 hrs. Claimed shot down by Lt Peter Bochev. Took fire on the fuselage and crashed in the mountainous area NE of Skopje at Brod ( today Macedonia).Only the SSgt S.Horine who was badly burned managed to bail out. On 3rd of August 1943 a SAR mission was sent from Libya to search for Capt.Gunn . The aircraft performed SAR patterns over the estimated crash site at 500 feet returning with no results to Libya.
The crews remains were located and reinterred to the US (Arlington National Cemetery) thanks to Lt. Quigley , the Bombardier from Lt.Darlington's ship for whom Jim Gunn and his crew gave their lives.
Sgt Smiths New York Memorial is a cenotaph.
contributed by John Dowdy #47791572
See actual burial: Arlington Cemetery #98783717
Sgt Smith was killed in action while on temporary duty with the 98th Bomb Group for "Operation Tidal Wave " one of the most daring raids of WW2. Coming in at tree top level the crew of Captain James Gunn destroy the Rumanian oil refineries. The 389th earns Presidential Unit Citation, all of the crews receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, The 389th BG loses six aircraft on this mission.
Radio Operator T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith DFC KIA
Hometown Hawthorn NJ
Squadron: 389th Bomb Group TDY 98th BG
Service# 32450700
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart
Pilot Capt.James A.Gunn III
Target;Low level mission to destroy Rumanian Oil Fields August 1 1943. Ploesti.
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 41-11840
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:P
Squadron: Aircraft
Aircraft Name: Snow White
Location: Missing Downed NE of Skopje at Brod today Macedonia 8KIA 1POW
Briefed to fly in the 3rd wave attacking White IV at Ploesti, from Berka II at Libya with 98th BG.
Captain Gunn Dropped to aid "THE WITCH" of Lt. Darlington during the withdrawal from Ploesti. He was intercepted by Bulgarian ME-109 at 13:40 hrs. Claimed shot down by Lt Peter Bochev. Took fire on the fuselage and crashed in the mountainous area NE of Skopje at Brod ( today Macedonia).Only the SSgt S.Horine who was badly burned managed to bail out. On 3rd of August 1943 a SAR mission was sent from Libya to search for Capt.Gunn . The aircraft performed SAR patterns over the estimated crash site at 500 feet returning with no results to Libya.
The crews remains were located and reinterred to the US (Arlington National Cemetery) thanks to Lt. Quigley , the Bombardier from Lt.Darlington's ship for whom Jim Gunn and his crew gave their lives.
Sgt Smiths New York Memorial is a cenotaph.
contributed by John Dowdy #47791572
See actual burial: Arlington Cemetery #98783717
Radio Operator T/Sgt. Delmar E. Smith DFC KIA
Hometown Hawthorn NJ
Squadron: 389th Bomb Group TDY 98th BG
Service# 32450700
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart
Pilot Capt.James A.Gunn III
Target;Low level mission to destroy Rumanian Oil Fields August 1 1943. Ploesti.
Missing Air Crew Report Details
USAAF MACR#:
Date Lost: 1-Aug-43
Serial Number: 41-11840
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:P
Squadron: Aircraft
Aircraft Name: Snow White
Location: Missing Downed NE of Skopje at Brod today Macedonia 8KIA 1POW
Briefed to fly in the 3rd wave attacking White IV at Ploesti, from Berka II at Libya with 98th BG.
Captain Gunn Dropped to aid "THE WITCH" of Lt. Darlington during the withdrawal from Ploesti. He was intercepted by Bulgarian ME-109 at 13:40 hrs. Claimed shot down by Lt Peter Bochev. Took fire on the fuselage and crashed in the mountainous area NE of Skopje at Brod ( today Macedonia).Only the SSgt S.Horine who was badly burned managed to bail out. On 3rd of August 1943 a SAR mission was sent from Libya to search for Capt.Gunn . The aircraft performed SAR patterns over the estimated crash site at 500 feet returning with no results to Libya.
The crews remains were located and reinterred to the US (Arlington National Cemetery) thanks to Lt. Quigley , the Bombardier from Lt.Darlington's ship for whom Jim Gunn and his crew gave their lives.
Sgt Smiths New York Memorial is a cenotaph.
contributed by John Dowdy #47791572
See actual burial: Arlington Cemetery #98783717
Inscription
TSGT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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